Elastic spunlaced polyester-meltblown polyetherurethane laminate

Abstract

A laminate which is elastic in at least one direction, includes an elastic sheet having at least one nonelastic nonwoven web joined thereto at least at two areas. The nonelastic web is gathered between the two areas. The sheet is formed from an aromatic polyetherurethane and the nonelastic nonwoven web includes spunlaced hydraulically entangled polyester fibers. The nonelastic nonwoven web may also include rayon or wood pulp fibers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laminate which is elastic in at least one direction, said laminate comprising: an elastic sheet comprising a polyetherurethane material;   at least one nonelastic nonwoven web of spunlaced hydraulically entangled polyester fibers joined to said elastic sheet at least at two areas, said nonelastic web being gathered between said two areas.   
     
     
       2. The laminate of claim 1, wherein said elastic sheet is an elastic nonwoven web of meltblown fibers. 
     
     
       3. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the relaxed basis weight of the elastic nonwoven web is from about 10 grams per square meter to about 200 grams per square meter. 
     
     
       4. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the basis weight of the nonelastic web is from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 5 ounces per square yard. 
     
     
       5. The laminate of claim 2, wherein said polyetherurethane material has a melt flow of from about 30 grams per 10 minutes to about 60 grams per 10 minutes when measured at 190 degrees C. under a 8,700 gram load. 
     
     
       6. The laminate of claim 2, wherein said meltblown fibers are meltblown microfibers. 
     
     
       7. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the nonelastic web is apertured. 
     
     
       8. The laminate of claim 2, wherein the nonelastic web further comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of rayon fibers or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
       9. The laminate of claim 2, further comprising a dry laid nonelastic nonwoven web comprising from about 78 percent, by weight, to about 82 percent, by weight, of polyester staple fibers and from about 18 percent, by weight, to about 22 percent, by weight, of a polyester-based hot melt adhesive with said dry laid web being joined to said elastic sheet at least at two areas and with said dry laid web being gathered between said two areas. 
     
     
       10. An elastic stretch-bonded laminate adapted to stretch at least about 50 percent in at least one direction, said laminate comprising: an elastic nonwoven web, said elastic web comprising fibers of a polyetherurethane material; and   at least one nonelastic nonwoven web of spunlaced hydraulically entangled polyester fibers joined to said elastic web at least at two areas, said nonelastic web being gathered between said two areas.   
     
     
       11. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 10, wherein said polyetherurethane fibers are meltblown fibers. 
     
     
       12. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein the basis weight of the elastic nonwoven web is from about 10 grams per square meter to about 200 grams per square meter. 
     
     
       13. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein the basis weight of the nonelastic web is from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 5 ounces per square yard. 
     
     
       14. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein said polyetherurethane material has a melt flow of from about 30 grams per 10 minutes to about 60 grams per 10 minutes when measured at 190 degrees C. under a 8,700 gram load. 
     
     
       15. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein said meltblown fibers are meltblown microfibers. 
     
     
       16. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein the nonelastic web is apertured. 
     
     
       17. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, wherein the nonelastic web further comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of rayon fibers or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
       18. The stretch-bonded laminate of claim 11, further comprising a dry laid nonelastic nonwoven web comprising from about 78 percent, by weight, to about 82 percent, by weight, of polyester staple fibers and from about 18 percent, by weight, to about 22 percent, by weight, of a polyester-based hot melt adhesive with said dry laid web being joined to said elastic sheet at least at two areas and with said dry laid web being gathered between said two areas. 
     
     
       19. An elastic palindromic stretch-bonded laminate adapted to stretch at least about 75 percent in at least one direction, said laminate comprising: an inner elastic nonwoven web having a basis weight of from about 20 grams per square meter to about 100 grams per square meter, said elastic web comprising meltblown fibers of a polyetherurethane material having a melt index of from about 5 grams per 10 minutes to about 20 grams per 10 minutes when measured at 190 degrees C. under a 2,160 gram load; and   two outer nonelastic nonwoven webs comprising spunlaced hydraulically entangled polyester fibers, said nonelastic webs each having a basis weight of from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 5 ounces per square yard.   
     
     
       20. The palindromic stretch-bonded laminate of claim 19, wherein the nonelastic web further comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of rayon fibers or wood pulp fibers. 
     
     
       21. The palindromic stretch-bonded laminate of claim 19, wherein said meltblown fibers are meltblown microfibers. 
     
     
       22. The palindromic stretch-bonded laminate of claim 19, wherein the nonelastic web is apertured.